Automatic calipering attachment.



` H'. B. NIGHULS. AUTOMATIG GAIIPERING ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION IILBD DBG. 2T. 1909, f Patented Dec. 2'?, 1910.

6 SHEETS-SHEET l H. AB'. NICHOLS. AUTDMATIG GALIPERING ATTACHMENT.

i APPLIUATIDN FILED DBG, 27, 1909. 980,164, Patented Den. 2'?, 1910.

' e Emma-SHEET a.

WTNESSES INVENTOR H. B. NICHOLS., AUTOMATIC GAMPERING ATTAGHMNm APPLIG'AT'YIUN FILED Dnc. 21.1909.

Patented Dec. 2'?, 1910:4

STS-hmm 4.

` HEB WTNESSES [N VEN TOR a. B1. Hmmm. MTUMATIG GALIPERING ATTAGHMENT,

LEWSIDATIN FILED DEO.2'I,1909.

Patented Da. 2"?, n191).

S SHEETS-SHEET E-p m L@ W "i UNITED STATES PATENT ormoni.

HENRY NICHOLS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA..

AUTOMATIC GALIPERING ATTACHMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 27, 191,01 .t

' Original application filed September 5, 1908, Serial No. 451,875, and January 14, 1909, Serial No. 472,236. y

Divided andthis application filed December 27, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Humax B. NICHOLS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county Vof Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Galipering Attachments, of which the following'is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the. accompanyingdravving.

My invention relates to grin-ding machines' and especially to automatic calipering devices used therein.

The presentapplication is a division 'in artof each of two prior applications, vint. berial No.;451,87`5, filed-September 5, 1908,

patented December 28 1909, Patent No.

944,902; and Serial No. 472,23,iiled Jann- 'ary 14, 1909., patented December 28, 1909,

Patent No. 944,903.. Inboth of said applications grinding machines are disclosed for grinding railway rails, and in both cases automatic calipers are described which act upon the wheel surfaces to regulate the feed o the Wheels and thereby maintain the cut constant.4 'In said applications the claims are directed particularly to the grinding machines as such and to various combinations of4 the velements thereof including automatic calipers; and the claims vin the present case Will be directed to the calipers 'by'themselves which are capable of `use other forms of machine. i.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in Which Figure l l's a plan View of the machine claimed in Amy application Serial. No. 451,875,

Patent'No. 944,902, showing the caliperingdevice.'V Figs2and3 "are detail figures showing the caliper with other 'parts removed. Fig. 4 is a plan view similar to Fig.'

41 of the machine shown in my application y Serial No.i472,236, Patent No. 944,903, Fig.

-5 is a similar View of a. modication. 'Figli is arear elevation. Fig. 7 is a face View of the: wheel showing the ring inserts. Fig.. 8 is asection thereoflon.theline 8-8 of Fig;

7. Fig. 9 isa sectional View of a modificaV tion, having the inserts on the back.

"I will not attempt to desoriberin. detail 'herein' the machines to which; the present' in- "Mention is applied. iFor a full disclosure of `'said machines I referto my aforesaid-.IPatents-Nos; 944,902 and 944,903. The caliper apparatusfbu itself'however may be-dje- Serial No. 535,091.

scribed as follows: Figs.- 1, 2 and 3 illustrate the form of calipers .shown in my Patent-No. 944,902, (Serial No. 451,875)l/v After'read ing said patent the adjust-ment 0f\ the grinding wheels will be fully understood. Assum- 'ce ing the bushing of-thewheel to be spline'dAv on its spindle, orl the spindle' to have end pla on its bearings, the wheel 'is moved to anc u from the Work by means of a screw, nut, and arm carrying with it the grinding head, always on a line normal to the Work surface so as to maintain the' angle of thecut c for wear.

adjustment thus describe be'hrought about manually, ,o 1 principal objects is to make this automa and dependent upon as well as proportions. to the actual wear on the` surfacey wheel. .This object is attainedfby'the `'the automatic calipers, whicliwvill no described. y `fl.

The two spindles 29 land 30 are driven *f by belts 59. and 53. taking over pulleys54 and v55 'secured upon the spindlesyintermediate of theV U-arms `of the respective804 brackets 27 and 28. For the sakeofcluni-ly forniity in grinding, both beltsl preferably derive their OW'er from the same fcount'e shaft, which fs not shown-but which `may y l either above or to the rear of themachinef One of the spindles 30 carries, a-lpulley '501. 'f1 outside of itsbearing, from which 'a beltl,

passes to the pulley 58 of the calipering", ".A mechanism. The latter is mountedg-ofrjfa rearward extension 3aof the frame13,'aiid Aoted. eth1 and G2, provided/Withrearwardly" extending contact arms 63 and 64 anvdperiodically actuated by 'a double reciprocating slide bar 65, 66, having-an intermediat'ec'am-B' 4 from the spindle `68 and pulley 58. should be noted that the driving pulleysof the spindles 29 and 30 are preferably' con# "A lnected thereto Wit-h .a universalv motion,jso1`f,00 .thatv their axes will remain parallel to the)v countershaft for allA angular adjustments'off the spindles,- their centers at the same'tir'nem remaining vfined, each 'inthe axis prolongeI of its trunnion 30, so there is no variationfi tl1e=tensionfof thebelts. A similar eiiec't I J 4maybe'produced by-giving these pulleys i.

4approximately spherical surfaces,.or curv -1ngthemon the centers. In order to avoid excessive twisting ofthe belt 57 the -driving comprises the caliper levers 59 and 60 pi'vrsv. .1p

frame 67 and-'driven throughl a worrrrwheel f spindle 68 of the celipering device is pew inzmehtl .seu at an angle so that its axisi will a pra'lel to the exis of the spindle im, lo'm Whitih vitis driven, when the latter 'l siiihdl'efiSn--ts normal 'oi' intermediate positie'n-,r'e vuidetmit from both extremities of its ange nr ath of travel. By this i'i'ieans t-h pt'es o the pulleys 56 and 58 diverge from 'eeh other by only one-hull1 the total 'ang-le: ofA awjustment of the spindle 30,

'its 'entire range. The: Worm 69 drives the wheel 70, which [a Short stub shaft 71 journnled in the me B. This stub slr-aft in turn eonnnunr ca'tqs'jrroton through "miter gears 7 to :u1 ul' gshaft 73 carrying e cam 'Tf1 which afee rnpinges on one and then the he com projections' 75, Tfomnefl onite sides 'of the frame 5T, thus $23371 'ghfthe frail-ne alternately in oor-)osito tlohs Yand loarrryi-ng with it the slide hars g 6. 'On the lends of these hers are eolmd '8l-, Secured by set screws S2 and provided with depending lingers 7251844-8' the 'lower ends'of-Whieh engage he` l rfflltunting Ycams, the collars i'novel With/it, ndlinso'movng they 'advance their dfgdipers one at e time into engage-- h thefsurfee of the Wl1eel ,and if 'sfle'ver 63 or 64.t'o eloseveontaet ""r-a's heoase' may loe and thereby '"thefeed "mechanism of the vvforin 'ff @ulife fand detailed arrangement er1-levers svbest-shown ir'i'iligs.- 2 lh 3, h h jrejdetailvlews with the "other aehlev'er is-ln three pa'rljs,

wnrdly extending contact "frame carryi f -thebeee beeome' advanced far enough for'v of steel rollers` 99, ridapted to touch the gi'z'lpliited rings in the face of the wheel when the caliper melun ted. These are earl'ied upon a holder, rotatably adjustable in ev socket piece 79, and looked when adjusted by means ot a set screw 1101. This socket piece hns n 'vert-leal adjustment inthe holder or yoke 922' this being regulated hy thel screws Gl or (32. The springs 95 and 9G are ojlf such relative strengths, thatl il() normally overcomes 95 and forees the body 91 tothe left. vWhenihe collar S6 or S7 is moved however, it compresses its associated spring 95 putting sullieienttension thereon to overeouie the spring` 9G, thereby pushing the body ill along the bnr 88, carrying the fe'elv ers` or rollers 99 into Contact' with their wheel, and at the snnietime turning;r thelever 953 on its pivot Dit, l't will be ohv ,served that While the niov'enunlt is positive, the connections :ire `dll resilient,Hothnt no line adjustments are required iii-these con-y nections between the Cani frame, the sliding hars und the calipers.` The rollers 0S) are held when ndjue'ted uponythe holder (3 0 hy ineens of look-nuts 100, v and of course the rotation 'ofy this holder in its-Sleeve together `With the \'ert 11. :al nd3ustn'1ent of the sleeve. or sockel; permits the ndgip'tntion ot the rollers -to any p sition ofthe wheeldfor 'Electrienl oo neel'ion is eileeted with each enh per lever hy means of e' binding post 9 andv Y the terminal contacts 8 9 und '90 are associated with insulated fixed yterminals 955.A These. terminals U7 'and 98 are eoi'1'neei'ed-fin n circuit which ii'ioludes n suitable source of eurrent and tl1ewindings of the solenoid" Upon the closure of the oontnets' l y eitheeonliper, its solenoid will hecoi'ne energizefh'and will thereupon ndv'anoe its'wheel' in the marinier"hereinheore described.

lt Willlh'e notedthet the stub shaft li-lis not' exntly vertice-l but. is perpedioulnrlto A the spindle G55. Itwillnppear from het.. the cam sul" es are correspondingly itn'olineih hringing'ihe points of impact of `the earn 74 onthe teeth '75 nndj-tto the I Itis thought: the operation of' the machine njillfhe sufficiently' .appnrentf-fioin the patent illthoiitnny detniled statement thereof. Asi brief ii'feapitulitionl1oWeve'I',-it may he 'stated that vwhen n'fiil iste' loe ground, the

naehine is first-set' up Iwith zillthe parte' justed Substantially ne -shown 'in 'the no eornpanying ch'exvings'.'

with its'stops 'set-"so estofproduce' the' length The u-'heels'lli and .f3/hemp;

in' the hen( and' -foot' upper part of one anillo-wer' oft-he'fI u brought into act-ion in the manner heretofore pointed out, and as long as the Wheel surfaces are not Worn to a greater extent than the maximum variation permitted and predetermined in the work, the feed is not aected. As soon as the wheel surfaces wear however, to an amount exceeding the predetermined limit, each caliperl will close its contacts 89 or 90, energizing its respective solenoid, and step around its feed screw 21 or A22 so as to move the wheel and its sleeve or bushing upon the spindle and compensate for the wear. In this manner, and by properly constructing and adjusting the calipers, the cut on a rail or any other surface produced in thisl machine can be kept within a percentage variation so small as to be practically negligible.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, 1 is a bed plate carrying a form 2, upon which the work is supported` Above the bed plate a bridge is provided to which is bolted the upper member 3 of a bracket frame or tool support 4. This bracket frame is stiffened by a central diagonal web or flange 5, and carries upon it vertical bearing posts, 6, 7, 77, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, journal boxes 15 and 16 and contact posts 17 18, 19, 20. The two grinding wheels 21 and 22 are splined upon the driving shaft 23 journaled in the boxes 15 and 16, and carrying upon one end the driving pulley 24, as well as the bevel pinion 25 which intermeshes with and drives the bevel gear 26 journaled at 27 (see Figs. 3 and 4) and carrying at its other end a worm 2,8 which engages a worm gear 29 on the vertical stub shaft 30 journaled in a box on the end of a horizontal arm 3l extending from the bearing post 12, and carrying at its upper end a cam disk 32 which as it turns throws the frame 33 back and forth so as to oscillate the shaft 34, which carries dependingiingers 35 and 36, secured to the shaft by sleeves 37, 38 and set-screws 39 and 40. The ends of the lingers 35 and 36 lie between flanges on the collars 41 and 42, mounted to slide on the fixed parallel shaft 43, passing through the posts 7, 11 and 77. On each of the posts 11 and 77 a bracket arm is provided as indicated at 44 and 45, the extremities of these bracket arms being bifurcated to receive the caliper levers 46 and 47, which are pivoted at48 and 49, and carry at one extremity 50 or 51 a contact to coperate with the fixed contacts 17, 18, and have at the other extremity a knuckle joint connection 52 or 53 with the sliding sleeves 54, 55 on the shaft 43. Each of these sleeves 54 and 55 has a pair of helical springs, one on each side of it, indicated at 5657 and 58-59 The springs 57 and 59 rest against the solid abutments 11 and 77, while the springs 56 and 58 lie between the sleeves 54 'and 55 and the collars 41 and 42. Any move- 'ment of the sleeves 54 and 55 swings the levers 46 and 47, and it will be quite obvious from the foregoing description that a normal adjustment may be obtained in which the springs are under substantially balanced tension, so that unless one spring or the other receives a greater compression, there will be no sleeve motion. The alternating compression of the springs 56 and 58 is produced by means of the fingers 35 and 36, as moved by the oscillations of the shaft 34, which in turn are due to the swinging of the frame 33l by means of the cam disk 32, rotated from the driving shaft 23. Each of thesleeves 54 and 55 has a knuckle joint 60 or 61, by which it is connected to the holder 62 or 63 of the caliper head or feeler, which carries an adjustable angle arm 64 or 65, having upon its extremity a steel roller 66, 67 which approaches to and recedes from the back of its respective grinding wheel 21 or 22 as its sleeve 54 or 55 oscillates. Assuming the grinding wheels to be normal, that is to say not yet Worn away, and properlyv set on the shaft, then the oscillations of the shaft 34 will produce no effect on the caliper contacts 17--50 or 18-51, because the oscillations of the sleeves 54 and 55 due to the changes in compression of the springs 56 and 58 can only move the caliper heads or feelers as far as the back surfaces of the respective wheels, when they stop. Under normal conditions this movement is not sufficient to swing the lever 46 or 47 over so as to close/ its contact. If the wheel is worn awa-y however, and its initial movement under spring tension on the shaft therefore carries it nearer to the surface of the work, (without as yet producing a working pressure thereon) then the caliper at the next oscillation moves beyond normal a distance corresponding to the initial movement of the wheel, the lever 46 or 47 is swung far enough to close upon its contact 17 or 18 and a circuit is thereby completed which includes one of the solenoids 68 or 69, which, deriving current from the supply circuit 70, immediately pulls in its core 71 or 72, turning the ratchet plate 73 or 74, also the ratchet 75 or 76 and the feed shaft 77 or 78. The solenoids are mounted on posts 6 and 8, closely adjacent to the bearing posts 9 and 10, and each core is normally retracted by a spring 78 or 79. The feed shafts are journaled respectively in the posts 9--13 and 10-13, and are right and left handed, so as to feed their respective Wheels away from each other, and against the inner faces of the work.

In Fig. 6 I show a modification of the calipering mechanism whereby the feelers are made to follow up the Wear and adjustment of their respective wheels. It comprises a spur wheel 112 that meshes with a spur on the shaft 77 and transmits its motion through miters 113, 114 to shaft 115,

' proportion of two thence through miters 116, 117 to shaft 118, which carries a spur 119, meshing with a spur on the feed shaft 111, thus feeding the bracket 64 and feeler 66 toward the grinding wheel 21.

The body of the wheel W is formed of abrasive material such as carborundum or the like, properly shaped and with suitable fittings to secure it to the spindle. As it would be impracticable to apply automatic calipers directly to the surface of this abrasive material, I provide inserts in the shape of annular bodies of anti-friction material at 31 and 32. The best material for this purpose which I have found up to the present time is graphite molded into Channels or grooves in the wheels. One process of molding consists in mixing the graphite with water to form a thick paste, and then pressing this into the grooves so as to expel as much of the water as possible, and evaporating the rest. This process, however, is not entirely reliable in its results because of the shrinkage of the paste in drying, unless constant and very heavy pressure is employed, such as that obtainable by hydraulic means, with the attendant danger of fracturing the wheel. I prefer, therefore, to employ a binder which under ordinary conditions of temperature and pressure is a solid, and which can remain permanently incorporated with the graphite. Such a binder I have found in sulfur, which does not seem to affect the operation of the wheel or impair the eiiiciency of the graphite for my purpose. This is rst melted, and the powdered graphite is stirred or ground into it in the proportion of two parts by weight of graphite to one of sulfur. The wheel body is then heated to a uniform temperature of about 212o Fahrenheit7 the paste is poured or pressed into the grooves, and the whole allowed to cool. The two rings 31 and 32 thus formed present a smooth anti-friction surface for the calipers, suiiiciently hard for accurate dimensioning, while I have found that the insert will wear away uniformly with the surface of the abrasive material and will not deter the grinding by its lubricant qualities.

Fig. 9 shows the back ofl a wheel, with a ring of graphite composition 108, upon which the roller 66 of the caliper bears. This ring may be similar to those hereinbefore referred to, but held in an undercut or dovetailed recess or groove. The composition I have employed for this ring when set into the wheel. body, is formed of powdered or Hake graphite held in a binder of sulfur. The sulfur is first melted, and the graphite is stirred or ground into it in the parts by weight of graphite toone of sulfur. The wheel body having been prepared with the dovetailed recess as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, is heated to a uniform temperature of about 212o Fahrenheit, the graphite paste is poured or pressed into the groove, and the body allowed to cool. I prefer, however, to set the ring into the metal clamping plate on the back of the wheel, for several reasons. For one thing, this enables the use of standard or stock wheels; for another, it enables pure graphite to be employed, inserted in the groove under pressure which the wheel ,body could not resist. The ring can be made in several other ways, as by forming a paste of water, a gum solution, or the like. In any case and whether set in the wheel body or the clamping plate, I find that the undercut groove is' of value in holding the ring in place, and as it constitutes an improvement over the former arrangement I shall claim it herein.

The claims herein are limited to the calipering device with the cooperating parts, and I do not claim the grinding wheel with inserts of antifriction material or the method of making the same, as these are claimed in a separate divisional application filed May 27, 1910, Serial No. 563,755.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is` l. A caliper mechanism for grinding machines Comprising a carriage, means for' reciprocating said carriage, a caliper finger vmoved thereby, a swinging arm controlled by the finger, and means carried by the arm to affect the compensating feed devices of a grinding machine.

2, A caliper mechanism for grinding machines comprising a carriage, means for reciprocating said carriage, a caliper finger moved thereby, a swinging arm controlled by the finger, electrical contacts controlled by the swinging arm, and circuit connections therefrom adapted to control compensating feed mechanism.

3. An automatic caliper comprising a frame, a carriage, a calipering finger carried thereon, a pivoted lever arm controlled thereby, a cam shaft, a rotating cam for reciprocating said shaft, and a connection between the shaft and the carriage.

4. An automatic caliper comprising a frame, a carriage, a calipering nger carried thereon, a pivoted lever arm controlled thereby, a cam shaft, a rotating cam for reciprocating said shaft, and a yielding connection between the shaft and the carriage.

5. An automatic calipering device comprising a frame, a shaft mounted to reciprocate therein, a cam frame mounted upon said shaft, a cam disk journaled to rotate within said cam frame and thereby to reciprocate the shaft, a pair of carriages on said shaft, adapted to reciprocate 1n the main frame, a pair of collars on the shaft, coiled springs interposed between thecollars and carriages, a caliper fingerpivotally and adjetnbly mounted on each carriage, a.' In testimony whereof I aix my signature swinging inde endently pivoted lever for in presence of two witnesses.

.each carriage laving its short arm pivoted thereto,4 and 7electrical contacts carried b HENRY B' NICHOLS' the longarms of said 1evers,`together Wit Witnesses: l

circuit connections from said contacts adapt- J As. HEYWOOD,

ed 'to control compensating feed mechanism. GEO. B. TAYLOR. 

